How it works — the import process step by step

The intro call · no charge

Thirty to forty-five minutes. We work out what the product is, where you stand, and how complex the project is. At the end of the call we say whether it is a fit, and if it is, we send a proposal with a clear scope of work. We do not source factories or pull quotes out of China on that call. It is a conversation, not work.

Commercial and technical definition

What happens: We define the product — materials, dimensions, function, finish, packaging, first order quantity and a target cost.
What CIN.IL does: Builds a specification that can be sent to a factory, and checks whether the economics of the product hold up.
What you approve: The specification and the target cost.
What comes out of it: One document that every factory receives, so that the quotes sit on the same basis.
Gate to the next stage: An approved specification and a target cost that stands up.
Typical time: Roughly one to two weeks, depending on how defined the product is at the start.

What exactly goes into a product specification

Material — the material for each component, its grade or composition, and colour by an agreed shade number rather than by a verbal description.
Dimensions — external and internal dimensions, volume or capacity, and weight per unit.
Finish — the surface (matte, gloss, textured), coating or print, and where the print sits.
Tolerance — the permitted deviation for each dimension and each shade, and what counts as a deviation that stops the line.
Packaging — inner packaging, retail packaging, outer carton, units per pack, and the carton's dimensions and weight.
Marking — what is printed on the product and on the packaging: name, barcode, country of origin, safety marks and instructions for use, and the language of each.

Sourcing and screening factories

What happens: Research into manufacturing regions, approaching factories, requesting quotes, background checks as far as they can be made, and sometimes a video call from the production floor.
What CIN.IL does: Narrows a whole market down to a short list. We do not send you forty links.
What you approve: The factory the sample is ordered from.
What comes out of it: A comparison between factories on minimum order quantity, price, production time, ability to customise and certificates.
Gate to the next stage: A factory chosen for a sample order.
Typical time: Two weeks to a month, depending on the category and how many factories engage.

Samples and development

What happens: A first sample, inspection, comments, another round, colour and material adjustment, and a packaging prototype.
What CIN.IL does: Runs the rounds, and translates comments into language a factory understands.
What you approve: A final approved sample — the standard the order is measured against.
What comes out of it: A final specification, inspection points, and what the factory is not allowed to change.
Gate to the next stage: An approved sample, in writing.
Typical time: One to one and a half months, depending on the number of rounds.

Production

What happens: Purchase order, deposit, raw materials, production start and progress reports.
What CIN.IL does: Runs the communication, tracks milestones and handles deviations.
What you approve: Payment terms and schedule.
What comes out of it: Production run against a specification, not against memory.
Gate to the next stage: Notice from the factory that production is complete.
Typical time: Depends on the product, the quantity and the season. The holiday season in China changes everything.

Quality control

What happens: A pre-shipment inspection against the specification and the approved sample.
What CIN.IL does: Coordinates the inspection and works the findings through with the factory.
What you approve: Whether the shipment goes ahead.
What comes out of it: An inspection report with findings.
Gate to the next stage: Shipment approved on the basis of the report.
Typical time: A few days, depending on inspector availability and the size of the order.

What a pre-shipment inspection covers

How much is sampled — neither the whole order nor a single unit. A sample is drawn from the finished, packed goods according to an accepted statistical sampling plan (ISO 2859-1, commonly known as AQL). The sample size and acceptance level are set in advance by order size and written into the inspection booking.
What it is compared against — the written approved sample and the specification: material, dimensions, shade, finish, marking, the packaging itself and the carton contents. Basic functions of the product and the condition of the cartons are checked too.
What counts as a defect — findings are graded at three levels: critical (a safety risk or a regulatory failure), major (a defect a customer would return the product over), and minor (a visible deviation that does not affect use). For each level, the maximum number of defects that still passes is set in advance.
What happens afterwards — a report with findings and photographs. If the result is a fail, the factory sorts or reworks and the inspection is repeated — before shipping, not after.

Quality control reduces risk. It does not remove it.

Shipping, customs and compliance

What happens: Freight quote, a choice between sea and air, documents, classification, compliance and clearance.
What CIN.IL does: Coordinates the process with the customs broker and the compliance people.
What you approve: The shipping method and the documents.
What comes out of it: Goods cleared and delivered to you.
Gate to the next stage: Goods in the warehouse.
Typical time: By sea roughly three to four weeks, by air around one week to ten days, not counting customs — depending on the route and the season.

Which documents travel with a shipment

Commercial Invoice — who sells, who buys, description of the goods, quantity, unit and total price, currency and delivery terms (Incoterms). This is the document customs calculates from.
Packing List — what is in each carton, how many cartons, gross and net weight and volume. This is what you check the arrival against.
Transport document — a Bill of Lading by sea, an Air Waybill by air. By sea it is also what releases the cargo.
Certificates — depending on the product and the requirement: certificate of origin, manufacturer's declaration, test certificate or laboratory report, and for relevant products a safety data sheet (MSDS) and a transport approval. What is actually required is settled with the customs broker and the compliance body before shipping, not after.

Customs clearance is carried out by a licensed customs broker, and laboratory testing by an accredited laboratory. We coordinate that work. We are not a laboratory, a broker or an approving authority.

Brand and launch optional

What happens: Name, packaging, photography, website, launch and campaign.
What CIN.IL does: This work anyway, through our own agency.
What you approve: Each step separately.
What comes out of it: A product ready to be sold.
Gate to the next stage: None. This is the end — or the start of sales.
Typical time: Runs alongside production and shipping, depending on what is needed — a name and packaging take less than a website and a campaign.

How long the whole thing takes

A typical project on the sea route runs around three to four months from definition to the warehouse, and less by air. A product with a compliance requirement, a production mould, or many sample rounds takes longer.

These are ranges from work we have actually done, not commitments. They change with the product and the season.

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